TWO BY TWO
by Barbara Reid & illustrated by Barbara Reid
Adopting the verse scheme of the traditional song, Reid recounts the building of Noah's Ark and writes a new couplet for each number up to ten (``And in came the animals six by six,/Pandas and penguins, all in a mix''). The animals aren't all named, but they're all countable in Reid's illustrations, formed in Plasticene on board for a vibrant, three-dimensional effect remarkable for its textures, lively expressions (Noah is saintly and benevolent, his wife a smiling babushka), and the subtlety, imagination, and wit of the art—the six pairs of animals are a study in black and white (Holsteins, skunks, zebras); tiny creatures (mice, spiders) challenge sharp eyes; the Ark a- building is an airy frame against the sky. The neatly scanning verse has nice touches of humor (``Even the boas felt constricted'') and takes the story on to the rainbow. A delightful presentation of this old favorite. Music included. (Picture book. 3-8)